An open-labeled, multicentric clinical study of cetuximab combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plus concurrent chemotherapy in locoregionally advanced (LA) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC): A 2-year follow-up report.

Abstract

5535 Background: To evaluate the safety and efficacy outcomes of concurrent cetuximab plus IMRT and cisplatin in Chinese patients with LA NPC. Methods: Patients with primary stage III-IVb (UICC/AJCC 2002 staging system) and non-keratinizing NPC were enrolled in this prospective, multicentric, phase II study. Cisplatin (80mg/m2,q3week) and cetuximab (400mg/m2 one w before radiation, and then 250mg/m2/w) were given concurrently. The prescription dose of IMRT to GTVnx (primary tumor in nasopharynx) was 66 Gy - 75.9 Gy, GTVnd (positive cervical lymph nodes) was 60 Gy - 70Gy, The response rate was evaluated according to RECIST 1.0 criteria, and adverse events (AEs) were graded according to NCI CTCAE V3.0 criteria. Results: From July 2008 to April 2009, 100 patients were enrolled (74 male), with median age of 43 years. The proportion of stage III, IVa and IVb patients were 71%, 22% and 7% respectively. 99% of enrolled patients completed the planned treatment. AEs were within the expected range and manageable. No toxic death occurred during the treatment. Acneiform skin eruptions, mucositis, in-field dermatitis, xerostomia and neucopenia were the most common seen AEs, with 64% grade 2/3 acneiform eruptions, 26% grade 2/3 in-field dermatitis, 90% ≥ grade 2 mucositis (2 cases of grade 4 mucositis with spontaneous bleeding), 40% ≥ grade 2 xerostomia and 8% grade 2/3 neucopenia. With a median follow-up time of 23.5 months, the 2 year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence-free survival, regional (cervical lymph node) recurrence free survival and distant metastasis-free survival rates for the ITT population were 91%, 89%, 90%, 90% and 89%, respectively Multivariate analysis showed that N stage was the only prognostic factor for OS (p=0.0392, HR=2.946) and DFS (p=0.0062, HR=4.246) in these patients. Conclusions: Cetuximab combined with IMRT plus concurrent cisplatin in patients with LA NPC shows satisfactory 2-year locoregional control rate and 2-year overall survival. The combination seems to be well tolerated with a manageable side-effect profile.